


I Love You For All Seasons

by SaddleTramp



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Duelling, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2020-01-01 10:00:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18333710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaddleTramp/pseuds/SaddleTramp
Summary: A collection of tales about the Inquisitor and his lady love, Josephine Montilyet of Antiva. From duels in the Val Royeaux to misunderstandings, this their story.





	I Love You For All Seasons

**Author's Note:**

> I recently got the Game of the Year edition of Dragon Age: Inquisition. I've always enjoyed the lore and the history of the Dragon Age setting. I was originally going to romance Cassandra on my first playthrough, but after meeting Josephine, I was dead set on romancing her.
> 
> Also I love the Iron Bull and Dorian's side romance, which I managed to triggered. I'm planning on a Dorian romance later, but I'm still going through my Cassandra romance with my Elf mage character, which I might write up later.
> 
> Anyway, before I end up gushing about Dorian, Iron Bull, and everyone else in the damn game, here's the first chapter! I hope you enjoy it!

“You want me to do what?”

Maxwell Trevelyan looked at the commander with his burrowing brown eyes. The Ostwick mage had never looked so serious before in his life. This was a man who was more prone to cracking jokes, partaking in pranks with Sera and drinking with Iron Bull at the tavern after killing High Dragons. 

“You heard me. I want you to send a man to Antiva City and challenge this  _ Lord Otranto  _ to a duel for the hand of Lady Josephine Montilyet,” Maxwell said, burning hatred in his voice. “I know Antivan customs. A betrothal can be broken if I challenge him to a duel and win.”

Cullen Rutherford sighed and rubbed his nose. Usually that gesture was saved for when another one of his men came to complain that the Inquisitor had accidentally been too loud with the Lady Josephine at night or when Sera eluded punishment once again despite Vivienne's best efforts. It was not a gesture for serious matters.

“I...I suppose I can send a man to Antiva City and offer the challenge of a duel. If that is your command, of course,” Cullen sighed with exasperation. The Inquisitor just gave a nod, still staring down at the map. The military adviser knew how dangerous the Inquisitor could be. His mind flashed back to the Siege of Adamant. 

_ Adamant. When two Grey Wardens tried to cut me down, he stepped in front of them with his stave and killed them with a single swipe of his spirit blade.  _

The Inquisitor was a man with the entire world on his shoulders. A man who had served as a Knight-Enchanter for the Ostwick Circle, fighting for his father and the Chantry in some of the scuffles that emerged in the Free Marches from time to time before attending the Conclave after the Circles voted for freedom.

“My lo-, Maxwell,” Cullen cursed to himself. The Inquisitor wanted everyone in his inner circle to call him Maxwell. “Are you sure you want to do this? I understand your affection for the Lady Josephine, but is it worth-”

“Yes,” Maxwell interrupted him. “Josephine is  _ mine. _ ”

Cullen swallowed.  _ Oh, dear.  _ He had been speaking with Leliana about Maxwell’s... _ affair  _ with the Lady Ambassador. He had thought it was nothing more than a distraction for both of them from the fatigue of war and intrigue, but Leliana had warned that it was far more than that. 

_ He truly cares for her,  _ Leilana said to them when the two had met at Herald’s Rest for their weekly drinks.  _ I think he might be in love.  _

“I will send a man as soon as possible,  _ my lord,”  _ Cullen responded. Maxwell raised an eyebrow but didn’t question it. “A duel in Val Royeaux, I assume?”

The Inquisitor nodded one last time before leaving.

Cullen Rutherford sighed once more. He scrawled down a message for one of his men in Antiva and went straight to the rookery to send it off.

* * *

 

“I have heard of your intention to duel Lord Adorno Otranto, my lord,” Leilana said to Maxwell as he was making his daily rounds in the library. “I assume Josie has spoken against it?”

“Please do not tell Josephine,” Maxwell almost begged. Who would have thought that he Inquisitor, the man who had aided the mages, destroyed the contract on Josephine’s life and defeated the Grey Wardens, would be  _ begging  _ his spymaster not to tell his love about his plan? “She’ll end me before I get a chance to end her betrothal.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, my lord,” Leilana gave a small smirk. “I do think I can help, however. I can gather information on his family. I do recall there is something of interest in his family’s history that they want to keep buried.”

Maxwell’s lips gave into a huge smile. “Leilana, have I ever told you you’re the best spymaster a man can ask for?”

The former bard smiled as well and her eyes glinted. “For Josie? I would do anything.”

* * *

 

_Three Days Later_   


“ _ He did what?”  _ Josephine, who was not prone to violence, was about to strangle someone with what she had heard about the duel. Varric slapped his forehead as Sera began to stammer something. Varric tried to leap to her rescue.

“Uh...he certainly did not arrange for a duel between him and Adorno Otranto for your hand. And he's certainly not on his way to Val Royeaux and did not tell us to stall you if you found out, ” Varric offered before the Iron Bull slapped his own forehead. “Wait, that came out wrong. Damnit."

“I am going to...I am going to...I don’t know what I’m going to do, but I am angry!” Josephine’s fury burned hotter than one of Maxwell’s fire mines. She pointed at The Iron Bull. “You.”

“Me?” The Iron Bull pointed at himself in surprise, his one functioning eye slightly quivering.

“Yes, you. You and your Bull’s Chargers are going to accompany me to Val Royeaux,” she ordered, the ambassador side of herself showing through. 

“Uhhh, the only person who can order me around is the boss, not the ambassador…” Bull tried to defend his boss and his own independence. After all, he did call Maxwell boss, and he had to stick to the chain of command!

“I don’t care! He is risking everything we built and for what? Pride? Get the Chargers ready to leave in five minutes!” she shouted and the Iron Bull was reminded of his time on Seheron and the Qunari strict hierarchy.  _ Shit,  _ the former Ben-Hassrath agent thought. He didn’t have to obey her orders, he knew. 

But with the way she was glaring, he was probably going to regret not obeying them.  _ Sorry, boss.  _

“I’ll...I’ll get them ready to leave, my lady,” he said and left the ambassador’s office. Varric slapped his forehead again. 

“What is going on?” Cassandra demanded, entering the office. “I could hear the shouting from the tavern!”

“You’re about to lose an Inquisitor, seeker,” Varric said. Cassandra’s face turned into a mix of confusion and concern. Maxwell was her friend and their only hope of defeating Corypheus and permanently closing the Breach. What were they going to lose him to?

That was before her eyes shifted to Josephine, who was strapping on a rapier, a riding cloak and what seemed to be light armor. 

“Oh,” realization shimmering in her eyes. “She found out about the duel?” 

“Yes,” Varric said, pointing to Sera, who was still stuttering about how the Inquisitor was dead and how she was responsible. “Buttercup over there couldn’t keep her mouth shut. And I did not help either” 

“Of course. Lady Josephine?” she called out to the ambassador, who was writing down a couple of orders for her subordinates. 

“What?” she said, snapping. 

“Do you mind I escort you to Val Royeaux?” Cassandra offered and Josephine’s face softened. “The road from Skyhold can be quite dangerous.”

Josephine nodded, before leaving her office. Cassandra did not tell her that she was planning on forcing Varric to write a tale about Josephine and Maxwell’s romance.  _ The Quill and the Staff  _ seemed liked a good title.  _ A work in progress,  _ she thought to herself. 

“Oh great, seeker. She’s gonna kill him herself,” Varric commented. Cassandra only gave him a small smile, something that Varric was not used to seeing from the warrior.

“Get your pen and paper ready, dwarf. You have a story to write.”

Varric only groaned. 


End file.
